Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to encourage a halt to the missile strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza.

I refer the noble Baroness to the Statement made by the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (York) (Mr Hague), which I repeated in the House of Lords on 14 July 2014, Official Report, Columns 434-437.

I also refer the noble Baroness to the Statement of 21 July 2014 by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), repeated in the Lords by the Leader of the House and Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell), Official Report, Column 979-982.

We have called on all sides to de-escalate the situation to avoid further civilian casualties.